Antivibration uniform-strength connector

ABSTRACT

An antivibration uniform-strength connector including two mating connection plates and a bolt. The connection plates are made of steel material having tensile strength proximate to that of steel reinforcements. The connection plates are made in accordance with the specifications of the steel reinforcements. Each connection plate has a central hole and two lateral extension sections. Each extension section has an opposite contact face. Contact recesses are formed on the contact faces and spaced from the central hole by equal or unequal distances. With steel reinforcements respectively held in the contact recesses, the bolt is tightened in the central hole of one connection plate to fasten the connection plates and fix the steel reinforcements in a double-cross or parallel pattern. The antivibration uniform-strength connector is applicable to the major steel reinforcements of a beam, a column, a bridge, a bridgeboard, etc. to truly strongly fixedly combine the steel reinforcements into a reinforcement network or reinforcement cage. Accordingly, the reinforcement network or reinforcement cage can bear much greater stress, especially the dynamic cyclic shear strength. Therefore, the antivibration strength of a building can be highly enhanced.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to a construction technique, and moreparticularly to an antivibration uniform-strength connector developed onprinciples of earthquake engineering. The antivibration uniform-strengthconnector combines vertical force and horizontal force and enables RCbuildings to bear dynamic cyclic shear strength.

It is well known in construction field that the compression strength ofsteel reinforcements is ten-time higher than that of concrete. Moreover,the tensile strength of steel reinforcements is even one hundred-timehigher than that of concrete. Therefore, the concrete is used incombination with the steel reinforcements to achieve higher strength andeconomic effect. However, up to now, the cross connection between thesteel reinforcements is still accomplished by way of “tying of fine ironwires” and “welding”. According to these two measures, both the tensilestrength and shear strength of the connected points are less than 3000pounds/each point. This value is much lower than the solidificationstrength of the concrete, that is, about 5000 pounds/inch. The aboveconnected points are reinforced by outer loops, inner supports, reversearcs, etc. However, the connected points are still hard to trulysecurely fasten and must rely on the solidification of the concrete. Itwas seen in many earthquake disasters that some buildings collapsed andthe concrete is crashed with the steel reinforcements scattering around.This proves that the longitudinal/latitudinal connected points must bereinforced to ensure safety.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide anantivibration uniform-strength connector which is able to highly enhancethe antivibration strength of a building. Therefore, even if thebuilding tilts down, the building will not collapse and crash so thatthe safety of properties and lives can be ensured. The antivibrationuniform-strength connector includes two mating connection plates and abolt. The connection plates are made of steel material having tensilestrength proximate to that of steel reinforcements. Each connectionplate has a central hole and two lateral extension sections. Eachextension section has an opposite contact face. Contact recesses areformed on the contact faces. With steel reinforcements respectively heldin the contact recesses, the bolt is tightened in the central hole ofone connection plate to fasten the connection plates and fix the steelreinforcements in a double-cross or parallel pattern.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide the aboveantivibration uniform-strength connector which serves to longitudinallyand altitudinally fixedly connect multiple steel reinforcements to forma reinforcement network or reinforcement cage by a strength equal to orhigher than the strength of the reinforcements. Therefore, thereinforcement network or reinforcement cage as a whole has uniformstrength to “integrally resiliently” reinforce the concrete.Accordingly, the reinforcement network or reinforcement cage can bearmuch greater stress, especially the dynamic cyclic shear strength.Therefore, the antivibration strength of a building can be highlyenhanced.

The present invention can be best understood through the followingdescription and accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the antivibration uniform-strengthconnector of the present invention, which is applicable to over No. 7steel reinforcements;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing that the antivibrationuniform-strength connectors of the present invention are used to fix thesteel reinforcements in a double-cross pattern;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing that the antivibrationuniform-strength connectors of the present invention are used to fix thesteel reinforcements in a parallel pattern;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing that the antivibrationuniform-strength connectors of the present invention are used to fix thesteel reinforcements of a beam or a column in a multipoint connectionpattern;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing that the antivibrationuniform-strength connectors of the present invention are used to fixunder No. 7 steel reinforcements.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the antivibrationuniform-strength connector of the present invention, in which severalconnection plates are integrated into one piece and applied to the steelreinforcements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 4. The antivibration uniform-strengthconnector of the present invention includes two mating connection platesmade of steel material having tensile strength proximate to that ofsteel reinforcements. The connection plates are made with molds by meansof forging in accordance with the specifications such as diameters,intervals, etc. of the steel reinforcements. Each connection plate isformed with a central hole 1 and two extension sections laterallyextending from the central hole 1. Each extension section has anopposite contact face. Contact recesses 2 are formed on the contactfaces and spaced from the central hole 1 by equal distances or unequaldistances for holding and fixing the steel reinforcements 3. Thecross-sectional area of the contact recess 2 can be larger than thecross-sectional area of the steel reinforcements 3, whereby the shearingforce bearable by the contact recess is greater than that of the heldsteel reinforcements 3. The cross-sectional area is gradually enlargedfrom the forced point to the rim 4 of the central hole 1 (over 10%).This is reserved for offsetting the resilient loss of the forcedmaterial. For example, in the case that the connector is applied tolarger diameter steel reinforcements such as over No. 7 steelreinforcements, the back of the contact face of the antivibrationuniform-strength connector must swell. In addition, the rim 4 of thecentral hole of the connection plate needs to be flush with the contactface for shortening the length of the bolt. Furthermore, only one of themating connection plates is tapped in cooperation with the bolt 6 tofacilitate the work. In the case that the antivibration uniform-strengthconnector is applied to under No. 7 steel reinforcements (includingsubsidiary steel reinforcements 7 as shown in FIG. 5), the extensionsections of the connection plate are formed with multiple continuouscontact recesses 2. This enhances the mobility of use of theantivibration uniform-strength connector.

In use, referring to FIG. 2, the two mating connection plates arepositioned in a cross pattern. The steel reinforcements 3 arerespectively oppositely placed in the contact recesses 2 of theconnection plates. Then the bolt 6 is passed through one of theconnection plates and screwed into the other connection plate to fix theconnection plates and hold the steel reinforcements 3 between theconnection plates. Accordingly, the steel reinforcements 3 are fixed ina double-cross pattern. Moreover, referring to FIG. 3, two matingconnection plates are positioned in parallel to each other. The steelreinforcements 3 are respectively oppositely placed in the contactrecesses 2 of the connection plates. Then the bolt 6 is passed throughone of the connection plates and screwed into the other connection plateto fix the connection plates and hold the steel reinforcements 3 betweenthe connection plates. Accordingly, the steel reinforcements 3 are fixedin a parallel pattern.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in whichseveral connection plates are integrated into one piece. Each connectionplate is still formed with a central hole 1. The integrated connectionplates serve to more firmly fix the steel reinforcements.

The tensile strength of the antivibration uniform-strength connector ofthe present invention is compared with the tensile strength of thestandard steel reinforcement specification of ASTM as Table 1 below:

ASTM antivibration reinforcement uniform-strength specificationconnector cross- tensile cross- tensile standard bolt sectional strengthsectional strength tap diameter × tensile diameter area metric areametric thread strength No. inch inch m/m² ton m/m² ton number metric ton4 0.500 0.2 129 10 150 12 14M1.5 × 10 12 5 0.625 0.31 200 16 230 1818M1.5 × 10 20 6 0.750 0.44 283 23 340 27 20M1.5 × 10 27 7 0.875 0.60387 31 400 32 22M1.5 × 10 33 8 1.000 0.79 510 41 530 43   27M2 × 10 48 91.125 1.00 645 52 660 53   30M2 × 10 62 10 1.270 1.27 819 65 850 68  33M2 × 10 76 11 1.410 1.56 1006 81 1100 88   36M2 × 10 90

As the Table 1 above, ASTM No. 8 steel reinforcement has a diameter ofone inch and a cross-sectional area of 0.79 square inch. Converted intometric system, the tensile strength is 510 mm²×80 kg=41 metric tons. Thecross-sectional area of the forced point of the antivibrationuniform-strength connector is preferably 530 mm², that is, the tensilestrength is 43 metric tons. The 27M2×10 standard bolt has a tensilestrength of 48 metric tons and is used to fasten No. 8 steelreinforcements. Accordingly, multiple steel reinforcementslongitudinally and altitudinally intersect each other to achievemultipoint connection and form a steel reinforcement network. Ingeneral, each face of the beam or column of an RC building employs atleast 5 No. 8 steel reinforcements. Accordingly, six antivibrationuniform-strength connectors are applied to each face as shown in FIG. 4.This achieves 228 metric tons×6=1728 metric tons of reinforcement cagestress. In practice, more steel reinforcements necessitate moreantivibration uniform-strength connectors. In this case, thereinforcement cage will have greater strength against the stress.

The antivibration uniform-strength connector of the present invention ischaracterized in that the steel reinforcements can be truly fastened bythe antivibration uniform-strength connectors to form a strong resilientreinforcement cage body for bearing dynamic cyclic shear strength incooperation with the concrete. Therefore, the antivibration strength asa whole is enhanced to avoid crash of the concrete. Accordingly, even ifthe building tilts down, the building will not collapse and crash sothat the safety of properties and lives can be ensured. Theantivibration uniform-strength connector is also applicable tobridgeboards, bridges, etc. which are subject to frequent vibrations.

The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention,not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the aboveembodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the presentinvention.

1. An antivibration uniform-strength connector applicable to reinforcedconcrete, comprising two mating connection plates and a bolt, eachconnection plate being formed with a central hole and two extensionsections laterally extending from the central hole, each extensionsection having an opposite contact face, contact recesses being formedon the contact faces and spaced from the central hole by certaindistances, steel reinforcements being respectively held in the contactrecesses of the connection plates and the bolt being tightened in thecentral hole of one connection plate to fasten the connection plates andfix the steel reinforcements between the connection plates in adouble-cross pattern or a parallel pattern.
 2. The antivibrationuniform-strength connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contactface of each extension section of each connection plate is formed withmultiple continuous contact recesses.
 3. The antivibrationuniform-strength connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contactrecesses of the connection plate are spaced from the central hole byequal distances.
 4. The antivibration uniform-strength connector asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the contact recesses of the connection plateare spaced from the central hole by equal distances.
 5. Theantivibration uniform-strength connector as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe contact recesses of the connection plate are spaced from the centralhole by unequal distances.
 6. The antivibration uniform-strengthconnector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the contact recesses of theconnection plate are spaced from the central hole by unequal distances.